If the Boot Fits Read online

  “Listen, it’s scary to go for what you want,” Amanda said.

  “It is.” There was more, something just on the tip of his tongue. She could tell, but instead of confessing whatever was on his mind, he turned back to the fancy dashboard and started the car. Amanda took that as her cue to put on her seat belt. Maybe he’d tell her when he was ready. Maybe she’d tell him how much she was starting to like him when things felt a little less scary for her.

  They chatted about random bits of nothing as they drove back to the ranch. He told her about the time he tried to sneak into Claim Jumpers as a teen.

  “This whole valley knows my whole family and I thought I could just walk in there and order a Tecate.”

  “What happened?”

  “They called my dad and had him come pick me up. He made me sit there while he threw back a good five beers, just chatting it the fuck up with the bartender and the high school football coach. Then he made me drive his drunk ass home. I was hot.”

  “You didn’t walk out as soon as you saw the football coach?” Amanda asked as they pulled up to the front of the lodge. Sam stopped just beyond the valet and turned the car off.

  “I didn’t know it was him. I didn’t go to Charming High. I didn’t go to high school.”

  “Oh I’m sorry. I forgot you mentioned you—”

  “No, it’s fine. I got my GED. But I started doing stunts when I was like twelve and I got cast on Dude Ranch Summer Camp when I was fifteen. Anyway I didn’t go to Charming High like Zach and Jesse did. There was a different coach when Jesse played. I had no clue who the new guy was. Anyway. I’m legal now and my dad isn’t here to stop me.”

  “Thank God.”

  “Come on. Let me walk you to your room.”

  Amanda climbed out of the car and took Sam’s hand as he came around and met her at the entrance to the lodge. When they reached her room, she forced herself not to ask him to stay.

  “So what time are you picking me up for our super-sexy romantic date tonight?” she said.

  “Eight sound good?”

  “Eight sounds perfect. I might order a little room service snack before we go. Eight’s a little late for me to have dinner.”

  “Are you kidding? Jesse and I are gonna Greco-Roman wrestle each other for the rest of that corn bread sometime in the next hour. If you’re hungry, girl, eat. And if you’re still hungry the wings at Claim Jumpers are pretty damn good.”

  “Oh, this date is gonna involve wings? Cupid knows what I like.”

  Sam let out the sexiest laugh before he closed the distance between them. Amanda leaned up and pressed her lips to his, sighing into his mouth as his lips parted and his tongue just barely brushed hers. Her body had had the sense to tell her pussy to chill when he was touching her throughout their late brunch, but enough was enough. She felt her body swell with arousal as she pressed closer, running her hands up his strong chest as his hands smoothed their way down to her lower back.

  After a few long moments though she forced herself to break their kiss. They couldn’t spend the afternoon fucking. Well, they could, but that wasn’t what she wanted. Well, it was, but not how she wanted it. She forced her gaze to his plaid shirt. Looking up at those deep brown eyes and that cowboy hat was a little too dangerous. Not that drawing her thumb across his nipple was the safest move either, but that didn’t stop her.

  “Maybe you can plan to spend the night over here tonight, if you can get away with that. I don’t want Miss Leona thinking I’m some kind of hussy.”

  “Oh, no. Your hussiness needs to be our little secret,” Sam said, gripping her ass with both hands. The action spread her ass and her lips apart. She bit her lip to keep from making a noise. She leaned up and kissed him again before she stepped back against the door. Her body missed the heat of him instantly.

  “Yeah, stay over tonight. I didn’t bring any sexy lingerie, but I have this T-shirt with some Nakia fan art and Star Wars pajama pants that will really melt your butter.”

  “Damn, girl. You know what I like.”

  “I’ll see you at eight.”

  “Okay.” Sam tipped his hat in her direction, then headed back down the hall.

  Amanda waited until he turned the corner before she keyed into her room. Inside she collapsed on the bed and buried her face in her pillow. How had this happened? She just wanted to get out of town for a moment. She didn’t mean to meet Sam’s whole family and she definitely hadn’t planned on spending Valentine’s Day with him in any sort of a romantical sense.

  Amanda rolled over and grabbed her purse. She had to text her mom and let her know that Miss Leona was a living goddess in real life. As soon as her screen lit up she saw several missed texts and calls from Dru.

  Call Lux and get me and the girls a table tonight.

  Hello. I know you’re out of town but your phone still works.

  Never mind. Lacy took care of it.

  You’re lucky my mother won’t let me fire you on the weekends. You’re fucking worthless.

  She looked at the time stamps and the texts were a whole three minutes apart. She’d just sat down to lunch when Dru had sent them. The last text came an hour later.

  Someone sent me the wrong size.

  You can have them.

  You’re welcome.

  There was a picture of brand-new Fenty Pumas, white with ice blue accents. Amanda was still annoyed with Dru, but she rarely turned down an opportunity to build her sneaker collection and she sure as hell wasn’t going to turn down a free pair of almost-three-hundred-dollar shoes. She took a deep breath and texted Dru back.

  Sorry. I was having lunch with family

  friends.

  I thought you were watching some dumb baby.

  Amanda swallowed, her heart pumping hard in her chest before she remembered Dru hadn’t caught her in a lie. Not yet.

  I took the baby to lunch with me.

  Whatever. When you get back on Monday just answer my damn texts.

  I will. Have fun at Lux tonight.

  I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon.

  The middle finger emoji Dru sent signified the end of their conversation.

  Amanda tossed her phone on the bed, then went over to the courtesy phone beside the bed. She pressed zero and tried not to let the rage stroke she was suppressing shoot her into another dimension.

  “You’ve reached the front desk at Big Rock Ranch. This is Christie. How may I help you today?”

  “Hi, Christie. This is Amanda McQueen in suite twenty-four.”

  “Hello, Ms. McQueen. Are you enjoying your stay?”

  “I am. Thank you. Christie, what’s the process if I want to get a massage?”

  “Mr. Pleasant already booked a package for you this afternoon. Whenever you’re ready you can head down to the spa. Or we can have Sven come to your room.”

  “Oh. Okay then. Um, I’ll come down to the spa. I’ll be there in ten minutes?”

  “Wonderful. I will let them know you are on your way.”

  Amanda hung up the phone shocked at how easy that was. Everything’s easy when you’re rich and you literally own the place, a voice in the back of her head reminded her. Not that that was a problem. Sam was a Pleasant. And the Pleasants owned this ranch and right now, she wasn’t mad at it at all. Amanda took a second to google massage etiquette because she’d never gotten a real professional massage before, then after she chugged a bottle of the fancy water provided in her room, she moseyed down to the spa to meet Sven. This weekend wasn’t going to last forever and she was determined to enjoy every minute of it.

  Chapter 15

  Sam checked himself in the mirror for the twentieth time. His beard scruff could have used a professional’s touch, but he was glad to step away from the clean-cut look he’d been sporting for over a year. He turned around as his brother stepped out of his bedroom. Zach may have resigned himself to the fact that his fiancée wanted to go to a complete dump to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but that didn’t mean he was going
to dress like it. Fresh dark wash designer jeans, crisp shirt and tie, tailored blazer. His cowboy boots clopped against the hardwood floors as he made his way across the room. He slipped his tan Stetson onto his head, then stepped behind Sam to check himself in the entryway mirror.

  “I look a’ight?” Sam asked as he moved out of Zach’s way. His brother looked him up and down smiling.

  “Full bolo, huh?”

  Sam looked down and adjusted the silver crest engraved with a wide horseshoe and the BRR of the ranch logo. He shrugged. “Eh, why not.”

  “You look good. And don’t worry. She’s into you. I saw the way she was looking at you today. Just treat her right.”

  “That’s the plan. Is this all you have planned? Hot night at Claim Jumpers?”

  “Is this all you have planned?” Zach chuckled.

  “She just told me she was interested last night. This is your fiancée, my guy.”

  “My fiancée has been back and forth between LA, New York, and Paris for the greater part of the last two years, so if she wants to go to Claim Jumpers on Valentine’s Day, we’re going to Claim Jumpers on Valentine’s Day.”

  “And then?” Sam knew his brother. Ever since he and Evie had gotten together he’d gone out of his way to make every moment of their relationship special. There was no way a trip to Evie’s favorite bar was the end of his plans. Zach turned his head and nodded toward his kitchen island. There was an expertly wrapped gift and a bouquet of roses.

  “What is it?” Sam asked.

  “Tiffany necklace she’s been eyeing for a while. Last time I was in the city with her we walked by and she mentioned she’d wanted it for a long time, but she’d been too responsible with her money.”

  “But now you got money to burn, huh?” Sam laughed.

  “You know I’m flush with cash,” Zach replied before his expression sobered a bit. He turned back to the mirror so he could give himself one final look. “She didn’t have to give me a second chance and she definitely didn’t have to agree to marry me. Whatever Buck wants, she gets.”

  “I get it, I get it. You’re in love,” Sam chuckled.

  “You damn straight! We’re spending the night at the Yangs’ bed-and-breakfast.” Their family friends ran a small produce farm a few miles down the road and offered quaint one-room cabins surrounding their farmhouse, enough to accommodate a half dozen guests. Sam had never spent the night there, but he’d known the Yangs forever and had stopped by on the way home from many a rodeo for donuts and cider. It would be a nice, local place to reconnect away from the ranch and Pleasant Lane. Thoughts of his own sleeping arrangements had him contemplating how Amanda wanted things to go between them after they left the bar.

  “You really think Miss Leona is spending a night in with the girls?” he asked.

  “Why? What do you know? And if it’s some real juicy shit, please don’t tell Jesse.”

  “Yeah, I’m not crazy. She mentioned last weekend that she was seeing someone. She said Jesse scared off the previous guy. You know Mig and them are her ride-or-dies. They’ll cover for her.”

  “Well, good for her.” Zach turned around and sighed. “We gotta talk to him.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Like, I get it. I don’t want to think about our elderly grandmother mugging down either, but she’s only getting older and Granddad’s been gone for a long time. If she wants a boyfriend, he needs to get out of the way and let the woman live her life. She deserves to be happy.”

  “Yeah, she does. Even if she just wants to date around for kicks. Jesse doesn’t have a say. How’s Monday night?”

  “Yeah. Let’s sit him down.”

  “Okay. I’m gonna go get Amanda. We’ll meet you over there.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Sam grabbed his coat and his white Stetson off Zach’s coatrack by the door and headed out to his car with Zach close behind him. Zach crossed the cul-de-sac and went to grab Evie from Miss Leona’s. Real official date-like.

  As he drove back to the ranch Sam wondered if he should make a detour and get Amanda a present. After about ten seconds he decided against it. Not ’cause he didn’t want to spoil her, but he was trying to listen. He was trying to pay attention. He’d taken care of her whole weekend at the ranch. The spa package included. She was hesitant to take him up on it and she’d been overwhelmed by their invitation to brunch. A gift on their first date might be a little much. He glanced at the envelope beside him in the passenger seat. It would have to be enough, even if it wasn’t from him.

  He pulled up to the front of the lodge and parked his car just beyond the valet stand. He grabbed the envelope and stepped back out into the cool night. A sudden thrill rushed through him and settled in his chest as he greeted Naomi at the desk and made his way through the lobby. It had been so long since he’d started something new. Even longer since he’d been excited about someone new.

  He’d enjoyed his time with Natalie, but looking back most of that attraction had been based on Natalie’s sensuality. It was intoxicating and Sam mistook that for a real connection. It wasn’t until she’d dropped the idea of getting married—in front of her parents—before they’d even had a real conversation about their own futures, let alone their future together. Sam knew then that it wasn’t in the cards for them.

  Things were different with Amanda. There was something about her and it wasn’t that she’d somehow won Majesty over with no effort at all. Well, not just that.

  Sam arrived at her door, smoothing his shirt and tie before he knocked.

  “One second,” Amanda called out. A moment later the door swung open and Amanda stepped forward, a bright smile spreading across her gorgeous face. She was wearing a simple white T-shirt that hugged her large breasts under an open camel-colored cardigan that almost went to the floor. She finished off the look with skintight jeans stretched across her ample thighs and those ice blue Converse. She had on some gloss that made him want to kiss the hell out of her, and her braids were twisted up in a bun on top of her head. She looked great.

  “Shit. You look so nice,” she said, beaming. Sam’s own smile already matched hers. He figured out then exactly what it was. Not just her humor or her sex appeal or the Disney princess way animals gravitated toward her. Or how she didn’t realize how rare any of that was. Even some of the kindest, funniest people he’d ever met didn’t have that bright energy. Sam couldn’t get enough of it and more than that, he wanted to be the one to help refill that well of happiness, whenever she needed him.

  He wasn’t gonna tell her that shit though. Not yet. He’d learned his lesson and knew what it was like to be on the receiving end of too much, way too soon. He settled for pulling her into a hug.

  “So do you. You look gorgeous.”

  “Nah,” Amanda said as she stepped out of his embrace, looking him up and down again. “I mean I look retail supervisor adorable, but I wish I’d packed something nice nice. I’m feeling the bolo tie.”

  “Thanks. It was a gift. Oh, speaking of gifts.” Sam handed her the large envelope. “It’s from my grandmother.” Amanda wasted no time reaching inside. She pulled out two signed headshots from Miss Leona.

  “Seriously. My mom is gonna die. I might die too, but I’ll do it privately this time. I’ve embarrassed myself enough. Let me just put these up and we can go.” Sam stepped into her room and she set the pictures on top of her duffel bag on the love seat. She grabbed her purse, then grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hallway.

  “Excited?” Sam laughed as he hurried after her.

  “Yeah, actually. You were right. I needed this. Also. Oh my God.” Amanda stopped and spun around just as they stepped back into the lobby. “That massage was amazing.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Yes.” She spun around and kept walking. Sam sped up so he was right by her side. They both waved goodbye to Naomi, then stepped back out into the night.

  “Oh, friggity fuck. Should I get my coat?” Amanda said.

  “I can
keep you warm. If you’ll let me.”

  “Oh, I’ll let you, Tex,” she said, winking at him as he opened the passenger-side door for her.

  “It’ll be plenty warm inside the bar and we don’t have to spend any time outside unless you want to.”

  “I don’t want to. Show me this bar.”

  “Let’s do it.” Sam slowly pulled to the end of the drive before turning around and driving Amanda into the night.

  * * *

  Sam pushed his way back from the bar with two Dos Equis. Claim Jumpers wasn’t packed, but there were plenty of people there for a night made for lovers. Coach Fortner was there too, playing darts at the far end of the bar. Sam skipped that hello. They’d said what’s up to Evie and Zach and he’d introduced Amanda to Britany and Delfi, the ranch’s executive chef, general manager, and Evie’s childhood best friends. They’d offered to pull another table over to turn their double date into a party of six, but he’d shared Amanda with his family all day. He wanted some time alone before she had to go back to Los Angeles and the stress of her job.

  They found a two-top opposite the dance floor. Amanda held the table while Sam waited at the bar, accepting a few congratulations on his Oscar win from Brett the bartender and two older white women at the bar he’d never seen before. When he came back Amanda was shimmying her shoulders to the Carrie Underwood blasting through the speakers.

  “Ah, thank you,” she said, taking the ice-cold beer from his hand.

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Let me get a little loose and then I’ll put it on you on the dance floor.” Sam watched as she took a deep swig of her beer.

  “Is that right, Cha-Cha?” Sam asked before he took a sip of his own. He was stopping after one beer so he could drive them home.

  “Oh, yes it is. I know what you like. I know you want this bawdy,” she said, rolling her shoulders. He tried not to notice the way her tits jiggled, and failed. Now that things were back on and they were moving in the right direction, he was looking forward to picking up where they left off in the bedroom.